This is a very short Christmas themed chapter. I was supposed to have this up before the 25, but I've just been SUPER busy working on other things and trying to recover from the holidays. Anyway, consider this a late Christmas present to those who celebrate and a Sunday gift for those who don't.

So, thanks for the reviews, alerts, and favs last chapter, thanks for reading, and I will see you in the next chapter (which will either be Testing Tim Pt. 2 or a New Year's themed chapter).

See ya!

P.S. Ziva is 9 and Tony and Tim are 8

The mall was packed with people, from older couples wandering around to younger couples doing some last minute Christmas shopping. It was loud, crowded, and Jimmy wanted nothing more than to go home, but Abby had insisted on taking the kids to see Santa. Gibbs had to work, so Abby had talked Breena into 'volunteering' Jimmy's help. It was the first time Jimmy really wished they got a call. Anything had to be better than a group of screaming kids.

"Come on Jimmy!" Ziva exclaimed, grabbing his hand. She then proceeded to drag him through the crowd. Jimmy was vividly aware of Abby and the boys following close behind, Tony talking a mile a minute as he explained to Abby what he wanted for Christmas.

"…and the new Spider-Man toy, and the Ninja Turtle sword, and a football, and…"

"I want a pair of handcuffs," Tim commented absentmindedly.

"What?" Jimmy very nearly stopped, Ziva the only thing keeping him walking. Why would an eight-year-old want a pair of handcuffs?

"I was watching a magic person…"

"Magician," Abby corrected in a matter of fact voice.

"Magician," Tim repeated and nodded. "I was watching a magician, and he did a trick with a pair of handcuffs. I want to try and figure out how he did it. It was super cool."

"It was lame," Tony stated around a yawn.

"You're just mad because you don't know how to do it," Tim argued glancing at his brother.

"Neither do you," Tony retorted smirking. Tim glared, but otherwise didn't say anything else.

They continued through the mall, getting jostled by the crowd, and Jimmy was seconds away from suggesting they turn around and come back later, when they ran, smack-dab, into the line.

"Why is there so many people?" Tony grumbled from behind Jimmy.

"Because several other children want to see Santa, too, Tony," Abby explained softly. Tony muttered something under his breath, something Jimmy didn't quite hear, but made Tim exclaim, "Tony, Dad said not to use those words!"

"What did he say?" Ziva asked curiously, swinging hers and Jimmy's hands back and forth.

"I didn't say anything," Tony retorted standing on tip-toe, trying to see over the crowd. Palmer knew he was wasting his time; the poor kid was only four feet-three inches.

"He said that waiting was annoying as… OW!" Tim cried, glaring at Tony. "Why did you do that?"

"What?" he asked innocently.

"You just punched me in the arm," Tim snapped pulling himself up to his full four feet.

"I did not."

"Yes you did."

"Boys," Abby called, trying to get their attention, but neither one paid her any attention.

"You are such a liar," Tim argued.

"If I did punch you then what are you gonna do about it?" Tony asked crossing his arms, a triumphant smile on his face.

Jimmy was used to this Tim fighting his battles with words, maybe backing down before he anything really physical could happen, but the older man was not used to the sandy haired boy letting out an angry cry and tackling his brother to the floor.

"Stop it," Ziva exclaimed as the two boys starting hitting each other. "Stop it!" she tried again before jumping on top of the two boys, hitting both of them. "You are so stupid!" she shouted as Palmer pulled her of her brothers. He handed the dark haired girl to Abby, bent down, and yanked Tim off of Tony.

"I think we should go," he suggested trying to keep a hold of a struggling Tim, ignoring the stares they were getting from the mall patrons.

"I think you're right," Abby replied and setting Ziva down. Keeping both Tony and Ziva at arm's length from each other, ignoring their verbal jabs at each other, she ushered the two kids out of the building. Jimmy followed her, still keeping a firm grip on the weakly struggling Tim. He knew going to the mall was a bad idea.